So... chocolate is pretty much the only treat I have left on my plate, since I react very badly to sugar - many people are diabetic in my family and I get reactive hypoglycemia if I have dessert, and a racing heart. I am, however, and have always been, a chocolate head.

I am also extremely sensitive to soy, which also gives me heart problems, usually extra-systoles, i.e. your heart starts racing like madness then seems to "stop" or "skip" a beat or two. It is frankly terrifying, and when that happens I can barely speak and need to lie down for a few hours, essentially disabled. This means I read labels obsessively when buying chocolate. have/had a few brands that seemed ok.

The other night I made myself a little saucer with a few pieces of chocolate, each coming from a different bar. Yes, stupid, I know, but I usually am ok with those brands, and it seemed such a good idea as I plodded through a deadline

Within twenty minutes I was lying on the bed with a pounding pain in my chest which almost made me unable to breathe

What am I reacting to? Have I now lost chocolate? Has my soy reaction gotten worse? Or was some of this chocolate CC'd with soy?

What I had that night was some of Theo's chocolate (orange) which I have never seen using soy, Alter Eco (this is supposedly gluten and soy free, milk), and some of the 99% Lindt which does not list soy (nor gluten) as an ingredient but is not guaranteed against CC from equipment (I hadn't had problems with this beforehand). What could the culprit have been, and what should I completely avoid?

We - my son and I both had a reaction to Lindt during our early days, but I am not familiar with their current ingredients.

Also, If you are having a soy issue - most chocolate bars and candy have soy.

I didn't give up on chocolate without a fight -- turns out I do not have issue with plain old Hershey's Cocoa - so I make my own choc mousse and candy bar type substances -- maybe try some cocoa and see if it is chocolate or the other things that bothered you.

Mix together 1 cup nut or seed butter, 1/3 cup brown rice syrup, 1/4 cup cocoa, pinch salt, scant pinch black pepper, scant pinch chili powder, scant pinch cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. When I make this for myself I use peanut butter and a lot more walnuts. I use sunseed butter for my daughter and add no nuts because she doesn't like them. I pat it out into an 8" by 8" pan. Chill for 3 hours before cutting into squares.

I would keep looking for chocolate. It could easily be some sort of contamination. Chocolate is too good to give up. Just try one at a time next time, and start with just a little bit so you don't get so sick. That being said, I couldn't find one myself, but I am extremely sensitive. I don't think that I react to chocolate, just cc since my reactions to different kinds varied widely in strength. There is a lot of processing in making chocolate.

I would keep looking for chocolate. It could easily be some sort of contamination. Chocolate is too good to give up. Just try one at a time next time, and start with just a little bit so you don't get so sick. That being said, I couldn't find one myself, but I am extremely sensitive. I don't think that I react to chocolate, just cc since my reactions to different kinds varied widely in strength. There is a lot of processing in making chocolate.

I know, I am pretty happy with my restricted primal-ish diet, but chocolate is my last sin I had some Theo chocolate again and had some of the same problems, even if to a lesser extent. This chocolate is supposedly soy-free. I think I have to call the company for info...

I would double check those things for soy.

I've made Christina Pirello's chocolate fudge recipe and it's great.

Mix together 1 cup nut or seed butter, 1/3 cup brown rice syrup, 1/4 cup cocoa, pinch salt, scant pinch black pepper, scant pinch chili powder, scant pinch cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. When I make this for myself I use peanut butter and a lot more walnuts. I use sunseed butter for my daughter and add no nuts because she doesn't like them. I pat it out into an 8" by 8" pan. Chill for 3 hours before cutting into squares.

Nice! What can I sub the rice syrup with? Sugar is a bit of a problem for me.

We - my son and I both had a reaction to Lindt during our early days, but I am not familiar with their current ingredients.

Also, If you are having a soy issue - most chocolate bars and candy have soy.

I didn't give up on chocolate without a fight -- turns out I do not have issue with plain old Hershey's Cocoa - so I make my own choc mousse and candy bar type substances -- maybe try some cocoa and see if it is chocolate or the other things that bothered you.

Lisa - may I ask for some of your recipes? I am very close to start tempering and molding my own chocolate...

I also worry about chocolate sometimes. I'm also soy intolerant and even a couple cocolate chips with soy lecthin will do it for me. I have found some very good (and not cheap) organic dark chololate without soy, but haven't seen any major brands that are soy free. I would contact the companies and double check (and let us know what you find out!). Lindt might be your first suspect for cc.

I sometimes get a bit of a head-rush after eating a couple pieces, but I think that's the caffein kicking in.

- mild gastritis seen on endoscopy Oct 2012. Not sure if healed or not.
- Family members with Celiac: Mother, sister, aunt on mother's side, aunt and uncle on father's side, more being diagnosed every year.

Carob is possible substitute if it turns out chocolate is a problem. I think you could test using Hershey's cocoa powder. If you react to that, it is probably a chocolate reaction.

It sounds like you have a pretty serious reaction to something going on. Either chocolate or soy or gluten cc. Of course it could be all three getting you. There's no law against foods ganging up on us. Or if there is they aren't paying attention to it.

I am emailing Lindt and hope to find out soon. I'll share the info as soon as I get something.

GFinDC - Just done the test: Hershey's cocoa powder is totally no problem for me. Nor are cocoa powders of other brands. So I assume it's not the cocoa but something else. But you made me smile with the gang allergy!

I wonder if it is normal that my reactions seem to be getting worse. Normally my bad reactions to some foods disappear if I am long enough away from it - my mum often tells me she had to bring me up on a constant rotation diet. I lost kiwis and pineapple years ago, then they became ok after about 10 years, and I can have a little every now and again. But since getting off soy, my reaction gets more violent with every time get soy-ed. Am I just paranoid or has this happened to others?

I think it is definitely possible for reactions to get stronger over time. And it is possible to develop new food intolerances too. Personally I think that is likely to happen when our guts are inflamed over a period of time. But, regardless, having an irritated and inflamed gut is not good. I stopped soy a while back and it took over a month to feel like the symptoms were mostly gone. Sometimes things are a strong quick reaction but other times they can be sneaky and build up over time. So going back to basics is a good way to find those kind of issues. Eating a very simple diet of only whole foods for a while can help. And eliminating the known common food problems and the top 8 food allergens. Food troubleshooting is easier with a limited diet. And slowly adding things back in.

Tanks Lissur! Looks like I have something to do with my carob powder now!

Hi Lady Eowyn,

A simple way to test the cocoa powder is to get some mini marshmallows and throw them in a plastic baggie with some cocoa powder. Shake it up well and you have chocolate covered marshmallows. Takes a couple seconds to make them tho... Trouble! Fortunately that works with carob powder too.

Haven't eaten marshmallows since a child but will give it a go - I have to say though, not feeling very hopeful.

Have had (supposedly) gluten free hot chocolate - cadbury's - (not for a while) as it gets me with a soy type reaction and palpitations.

Actually, (sorry, off topic) I have palpitations this morning - i think it's from breakfast. I had a small spoonful of white rice (first for ages) with scrambled eggs, slice of ham and green salad leaves. No rice is one of the most annoying things for me. Oh! did have a bit of raw onion and have got a slight headache - don't say onion is giving trouble .